^»:^\»^^y^>3yr^ BRINLEY. ^ ^ ^ t- f/7nno^^]o /^ay£ // T^tcjfM^ If'" . iA /^ mmv.JJ^^- V. 'J la-U The mojl material Corrcftions. Page Line Read 20 13 heaven of heavens 25 2 bottom hypothefes 36 14 his law. 38 13 juft and true ? 44 4 natural diflate 50 2 diadems 52 6 throw you into 54 11 bot. vill you not cow 55 I bot. proTidcncc ; and £> 71 a Even many of N. B. The need of feme of thefe Corrections was objerved time enough to make them before thfi whole irn^rejjion ivas finijhed^ ^Ti -^ -▼* -^ '9^ '^ -*■ A ,T< A iTx T^ A |T( jfc A A |T| .fi % Ji A Jt .T^ >T. j.Tl TT r r i I I r r 1 i 1 T x*** l i r T i 1 r • t il 111 Dr. Mayhew\ TWO Thankfgiving DISCOURSES November 23d, 1758. ^^^^*H^it'4*^*t^^i*^^*i*'i'^4*4*^*i*4'*^'4*^^^ %■' TWO DISCOURSES Delivered November 23d. 1758. BEING THE Day appointed by Authority T O B E Obferved as a Day of public THANKSGIVING: Relating, more Efpecially, TO THE Succefs of His Majesty's Arms, And thofe of the King of Prussia, the laft Year. By yonathan Mayhew^ Z). Z). Partor of the Wtft Ckurch in Bojion, BOSTON: N. E. Printed and Sold by R. Draper in Newbury-Street, and by Edes & Gill, and Green & Russell, in Queen-Street, Sc Discourse I. The late Smiles of Providence, repreftnted. P S A L M C. Vcrrc4th. ENTER into his Gates ivith Hmnlf- giving^ and into his Courts with Praife : be tha^ikful unto hii?i^^ and hlefs his Name. "E arc this day called in the good providence of God, and exhorted by our civil rulers, to difcharge the duty which the royal Pfalmitl here inculcates on the people of Ifrael : I mean, publickly and folcmnly to render thanks to almighty God, for his great and iindeferved mercies. It does not indeed appear, that either the pfalm in general, or the words read in particular, were occalioned by any 6 7hz late Stntks of any fpcciul or remarkable intcrpofitlons of divine pro- vidence in favour of the Jews ; but rather, that the plahn has refpe(ft thro out to the goodnefs of God in general towards his people : So that the admonition in the text may pre)perly be con(idered as a (landing, perpetual exhortation to the people of God in all ages xxiS genet ations, to pay their public united ac- kriOvvled^rijcntk to Kim for his mercies. However, tho' the exhortation is in itleif thus general or inde- finite, you are fenfible that there are Ibme particular times and feafons, wherein all fuch general counfcis demand a fpecial attaition ; wherein there is a pecu- liar propriety in obferving them ; and in which, it v/ould therefore be doubly criminal to difregard them. And this being confidcred, 1 humbly conceive, there jsviii at lead appear no impropriety in my choice of thefe words, for the ground of my difcourfes on tiie prefent joyful occafion : Efpccially if it be fur- ther conHdered, that the mercies and blefHngs, for which we are now entered into the courts of our God with praife, are nor, all of them, peculiar to the pre- fent feafon ; but fome of them of fuch long conti- huante, that they may, with refpeft to us, be looked upon as common, mercies ; tho' not the lefs valuable in rhemfelves on that account, nor the lefs demand- ing our gratitude and praife to the Father of I'ghts, from whom ev^ry .good and perfeft gift defccndeth.^ It is rhersfore propos'd, by divine affiftance, First, To reprcfent to you, as particularly as tUc time will well allow, what thofe bleflings arc, to give thanks to God for which, we are now afTembled in his hourc. SecondlYi Providence r^prefenied» , f Secondly, I fiiall explain, and inculcate upon you, the duty of religious thankfulncfs for ihefe mercies. And Lastly, I fhall prcfs ic upon you to live an- fwcrably to the obligations which God has laid us under by beftowing them upon U3. I. Let me reprcfcnt to you, ?s particularly as is convenient, what thofe bleflings are, to give thanks to (jcd for which, we are now afiemblcd together. For unlfifs we have fbme juft and proper conception of thefe, it is impoflible for us to be duly and ra- tionally thankful, or to give God the glory due unto his name on account of them. In fpeaklng of thefe mercies, I fliall not have occafion, nor indeed would it be altogether proper, to go beyond his Excellency's proclamation, ap- pointing this day to be religioufly obferved, and fpecifying the occafion, or particular rcafons thereof. Now thefe various bleflings may eafily be reduced to, and ranged under, the following heads, viz. ift. Those which relate to the civil flatc of the nation in general ; as the prcfcrvation of the Britifb government, and of our rights and liberties ; toge- ther with the happy profpeft we have of their being long continued to us." sdly. Those which relate particularly to the prc- fcnt war ; or the (ucccflcs given to his Majefly's arms, the lafl year, and to the aims of his royal and illuftrious ally, the King of Pfuflla. And, 3dly. ThosH 8 7Z^ late Smiles of 3dly. Those which relate more efpecially to th's province; as ihe fruitful ncfs of the paO feafbn, and. the general plenty and health, with which we have been favour'd. Whatever is mentioned in the Governor's pro- clamation, as a ground for our religious rcjoycing and thankful nefs to God at this time, may, 1 fuppofe, naturally fail under one or the other of thefe heads. Let us proceed to a more diflinft confideration of them : tho* it is propofed to enlarge chiefly on the fecond. I ft. Let us confidcr thofe bleflings which relate to the civil ftate of the | nation in general ; as the prcfervation of the Britifh government, and of our rights and liberties ; together with the happy profpe6l we have of their being long continued to us. Ths blcfTmgs of this clafs are refen-ed to in the former part of his Excellency's proclamation, where it is obferved, that it " hath plcafed the Fa- ** ther of mercies to continue us in the enjoyment *' of many invaluable bleffings,- to prolong the ** important life of our moft gracious Sovereign ; " and to continue to us the prolpe^l of that invalu- *' able bleffing, the protefrant fuccelTion, in his rrfyal " houfe ; to fupport us in our civil and religious " rights and liberties." Thefe, tho' mentioned as mercies which we have long enjoyed, are nevcrthe- lefs, truly great ; and ought, from time to time to be folemnly recognized by us as fuch, efpecially upon public occafions like the prcfcnt. The BritiPn go- vernment and laws, by which the fubjcft's life and liberty, his property and religion, are all fo >vcU fccured I By the nation in general^ are here intended, aU Britijk- Providence reprefented, ^ fecured to him, are blefTings, very extenfive in theii* nature, and will ever be accounted invaluable, by all who have a jufl conception ol what the h.^ppinels of civil foeicty confills in ; or who have really any religion, which they can reafonubly think tlumfelvcs bound in conicience to praftlfe. Indeed foch a free and happy form of government as the Briiiflij m^y poflibly be difrclilhed by ab'.ft minds, long tutor'd to ferviliry, or blinded and infatuated by a 'r^rrid fu- perlhtion, the reverfe of all raiiona p'ety Howrver, thefe perfons are not exceptions to ihc .ibovc aiicr- tion, having neither any proper notion of civil hap- pinefs, nor any relieiou which a well-informed con- icience could poflibly concern Itfelf at all about, unlefs it were fo fax as to difcard it with indignation. Whatever, flaves, and the blind votaries to fuch a fuperfVition, falfely called religion, may think ; or however evil they may " fpcak of thofe things " which they underfland not", wife, good and un- prejudiced men, will always venerate fuch a conQi- tution of government, thinking themfelves happy if they live under it, and if they do not, envying to thofc that do, fo diflinguifhing a priviledge. -Of this free government, and of thcfe laws, which, next to thofe of the gofpel, may be juftly termed *♦ the laws of liberty", his prefent MajeHy has all 9long, from his firff acceffion to the throne, been a rteady defender ; being both a true proteilant, and a friend to the natural rights of mankind, efiicciall/ to thofe of his own fuNjeiffs. For which rcsfbn ic ought to be looked on as a great fmile of heaven tpon the nation, that his life ha>? been lengthened out till he. is now fefcome old, and full of days.- And tho' his good rub)L-<9:s cannot, without reluctances think on that time, now^ near according to the ufual B courfe JO The late Smiles of Courfe of nature, when their royal ben efa^f^or and father mufl: fubmit to the common law of murtality j yet we are in fome meafure relieved under the me- )ancho!ly apprchenfion, by reflecting on his nume- rous poAerity, and feeing the fijcccfTion to the Britifh throne, made as fure as human laws can make it, in his royal and proteflant houfe. I add proteflant houfe, not only bccaufe, by the aft of fcttlemenc and fucccfTion, none but a protcftant can reign upon the Britifh throne ; bat alfo, bccaufe the happinefs of the nation, under God, cflentially depends on being governed by fuch a king ; and this illuflrious houfe has long diflinguifh'd itfelf by a well-regulated zeal for the proteflant caufe, in oppofition to papa! iifurpation. It were next to maduefs to imacEine, that the nation could ever be fafe and happy under a roma» catholic prince : Comnicfn fenfe fliows, that fuch a one mufl' needs think his power too much reflrained by tJie laws of Britain ; looking on which as an in- fringement of the royal dignity, he would of courfe make frequent infraffions on them ; at leaff as often, and perhaps oftener, than he could do it with fafe- ty to himfelf. Faft and experience are not wanting to confirm this obfcrvation. For the nation has formerly had melanchoUy experience of its truth, in at leafl two princes of the Stewart race ; whofc arbitrary principles and praftices, naturally, if not necefTarily conneftcd with their religion, plainly fliew'd that one of the greatefl: curfes righteous heaven can fend upon Great Britain, is a romanca- tholic King. While fuch a King reigns, the mcfl fundamental laws of the kingdom are no fecurity to the fubjeft, cither with refpcft to liberty or pro- perty, religion or life ; unlefi it be to popifh fub- Providence reprefented, ii jrfls : Who indeed may live, and increafc, and flou- rifli abundantly, under that iame baleful influence which blads all good men. And if God, in his good providence, had not dehvered the nation frotn the contemptible, tho* royal race above-mentioned, ijt is not improbable, that we might at this very time have groaned under the iron fcepter of a confirmed, lawlels defpotifm, and the antichridian yoke of reli- gious perfccution : Unlefs, perhaps, before this time all good proteftants liad been rooted out and de- ftroycd ; and fo made a mighty addition to the fouh which St, John faw under the altar ; the fouls of " them that were flain for the word of God, and " for the teftimony which they held": and which he heard " crying with a loud voice, faying, How *' long, O Lord, holy and true, dofl thou nor judge " and evenge our blood on them tl.at dwell on the " earth f !" These things being briefly obfervcd, I may leave you to judge, how great the bleffing is, of having the life of a good proteflant King, the Britifii govern- ment, and with it our rights and liberties, fecular and facred, preferved to us ; and this, while we have had fo many enemies, at Icafl foreign ones, who would have rejoiced in depriving us of them. But let us now proceed to thofe mercies which were above referred to another clafs ; viz. 2dly. Those v;hich relate to the prefent war; as the fuccefles given, the lafl: year, to the arms f»r his Majef\y, and to the arms of his illuffrious ally, the King of Pruffia. Upon thefc, I fhall be fomc- thing more particular than on the former. They B 2 hoM \ Rev. 6. 9, 10. 1 2 *The late Smiles of hold the (econd place in hisExcellency's proclamation ; where it is oSferved, Thar it hath pleafed God ** to " gi\e reinarkabie Ipirit to h!s Majciiy's counfclsand *' reriutions; and in divers inftanccs to crown 4iis *' wife and vigorous inealures with fuccefs ; and to ** proiper the an.;^ of his Majelly's ally the King of '* Pruifia, in ibpporc of the proteflant caufc," &:c. It is manifeftjOotwithlianding fomcftrange delays, defeats and difgraces; (with a detail of which, the religious joy and gratitade of this day ought not to be damped) It is. 1 fay, manifeft, notwiihrtanding thefe delays and difgraces, that the war has beer* profecuied the laft year, on the part of Great Britain, with uncommon vigour ; and that the advantages gained both by fea and land, have been very confide- rable : So that, upon the whole, this has been, to us, a fuccefsful campaign ; and, in proportion, difadvan* tageous, and a weakening to the enemy. Let us take a curfory view o'i the events of the war this year, and of the lodes ful^ained by the enemy, both by land and fca. But minute circumdanccs would not be thought worthy of a place here, tho' there were room for them. If we begin with our fuccefles by land ; It is t* be obferved, that his Majefly's hereditary dominions on the continent have been rclcu'd out of the ene- my's hands, wh r they triumphed the year before, and committed fuch barbarian havock and devaftation. They have in their turn been beaten and routed there, with confidcrable lofs both of men, and war- like ftores : So that their laurels had but juft bloomed, when they were fuddenly withered, and the cypreft fuccceded them : Whereby was verified that antient pbfervation, ** That the triumphing of the wicked V* is ihort^ and the joy of the hypocrite but for a ^* mome:it ^ Providence reprefented. ij *' moment ; tho* liis excellency mount up to the *' hcivcns, and his head reach unto the clouds'* f. And there is foine reafon at leaft to hope, that the enemy will not foon be in a capacity to make them- felves again mailers of that country, and repeat their brutal oLitra^;es, loudly complained of even by fome of their own grcatelt commanders ^. There have, moreover, been at lead two § fuc- ccfsful defcents made by Great Britain on the coafls of France. In thefe the enemy have fuftained the lofs of Tome confidcrable magazines, feveral fortreflet, many ci.nnon, and military (lores; all amounting to a larrc value : And were likewifj obliged, by ano- ther large fum, to ranfom one of their cities, or fortified towns. Thefe events are not a little in our favour ; to fay nothing of the conftant alarms on the French coafls the laft year, with the confe- quences thereof ; or the fecurity enjoyed on the eoafh of Britain. It mny be added, that thefe de- fcents would doubtlefs have proved of ftill more pernicious confequence to the enemy than they have, tho' lefs honourable to the Bririfh General, had not his noble bread been full of that compaffion, thnt humanity and gcncrofity, to which fome of the French commanders, under the like circumdances, have ihown themfelves drangersl. Ok the wedern coafls of Affrlca feveral forts have been taken from the enemy, together with one of t J«h XX. J. 6. * Marflul Bcllcidc's Speech in Council, is here more partic*- larly alluded to. § At St. Maloes and Cherbourg. ^ Witnefs. particularly, the Maifacrc after the Surrender oT fort V\i I Ham -Henry to >louf. Monicalm, anU tlic figning C/( tliC CapitulutioQ. 14- 7^^ Icite Smiles of ef their important fettlemcnts f ; whereby, it is Taid',' great trcafures have fallen into the han'.ls of the captors. And, fey what we have hitherto learnM, this conquefl: may probably prove eventually of very great advantajs^c to Great Britain, and at lead equally detrimental to the commerce and intercit of France. As to the Eafl Indies ; our accounts from thence, feem to be quite vague and uncertain at belt, if not contradictory. So that we can fay nothing particu- larly or pofitively concerning the Itate of affairs in Afia, wkh refpedl to the war ; or whether we, or our enemies, have been fuccefsful in thofe diftant pans. Let us therefore come to America. And here the very flrong, and at leafl: equally important city and fortrefs of the enemy on Cape Breton, have furrender'd to his Majefty's arms, where a prodigious quantity of artillery, fmall-arms, and military ftores of all kinds, fell into our hands. In confequence of which acquifition, obtained with an inconfiderable lofs of Britifii troops, all the (de- pendencies of Louisbourg, have been furrender'd ; and many thoufands of the enemy fent out of America, where their continuance might have proved ©f very pernicious confequence. I might add, that hereby the enemy have in effeft lofl, not only their great fifiiery, but the key of Canada ; on which /bmc of their more fouthern forts and fettlements arc dependent. It would have been proper to en- large on the importance of this acquifition, and the very favourable circumftances attending it, had I not lately done this fo particularly, on the day ap- pointed by the government to acknowledge the great goodnefs of God on account hereof, His I ScQCgal. Providence reprefenled, 15 His majefty's forces have alfo, the fiimmer part, taken pofTefTion of the river, and adjacent country, of Sr. John's, in the bay of Funda : Of the great confequence of which to them, and to their views in America, the French were fo fully apprifed, that according to their wonted jx)hcy and good faith, they feifcd, and fortified thereon, feveral years ago, in a time of profound peace. They were indeed forced by fome Britifli troops, about two years fince, to abandon, and,, as fome fay, to demo- lifh the fortrcfs which they had cre<^cd there. But till this year we had not fortified, nor done any thing which could well be called taking poflefTion of tiie place : Both which being now done, it may be rcafonably hoped, that the future pofTclTion of that important river and fine country, are effectually fecurcd to his Britannic majelly, to whom, of right, they unqucitionably belonged before. I N addition to what has already been mention* ed, it mult be obferved, that a fortrcfs of great con- fequence, ufually culled Frontinac, at the entrance of the great river St. Lawrence on the lake fide, has been reduced to furrender to a body of his majeOy's trcops, chiefly provincial irregulars. This acquifi- tion may be reckoned very confiderable in divers refpe£ts ; in refpcft of the llrengih of the fortreft itfelf ; of its fituation ; of the vaft quantity of Itores, provifions, arms, and other riches found therein ; in refpeft of the little lofs of men in ma- king it ; and lafUy,in rcfpcft of the critical conjunc- ture wherein it was made. For we are afiured, that St confiderable body of the cn^my were at that time actually in motion, to proceed againll the wcflcra part of New-York government ; depending wholly upon this ];lacc for iruvifionS; aud other liores, ne- cefTarjr 1 6 ^Prcvicle?ice reprefeiiied, cefTary for the undertaking. So that their whole de(ign, which, had they proceeded, might have proved of very bad confeqiience to iis, was at once fruftrated, by the very opportune reduffon of this fortrtfs. Hereby alio, it is at leaO: probable, the enemy in feveral other places to the fouthward and weflward, as well as the favages in their alliance, were difappointed of thofe fupplies, which they very much needed. How favourable, therefore, was the providence, by which this fortrefs was reduced and difinantled, if not entirely demolifhed ? efpecially, when we add, that this was effefted almoft with- out the lo(s of any lives on our (ide ; or, as fome confidently affirm, without a fingle one ? Thefe, my brethren, are fome of the fuccefles which, by the bleflTmg of God on his majerty's arms, we have had by land, in the courfe of the year paft. As a ballance to which, the enemy can pretend to pone againfl: us ; 1 fay, as a ballance to them ; for fome fuccefles they have doiibtlefs had. But they have taken none of our fortrefTes, that we know of j they have made no defcents on our coafts ; they have made a conqueft of no place ; they have obtain- ed no confiderable viftory. Though it muft be ac- knowledged, that they repulfed, by fome means or other, and with lofs to us, what might be looked on as a very formidable army in America, coming againft them ^. It muft likewife be confefled that, with the afTiiiance of their good friends and brc-r thren, the favages, they have cut the throats of fome men, and of great numbers of poor women and chil- dren, on the frontiers of the fouthern colonies. But how much foever they may be difpofed to glory and triumph in thefe heroic exploits, it may be queltioneci * At Lake George, near TIconderog^a» Providence reprefented. 1 7 qucftioneJ whether even they could, without blufli- ing, pretend to make ihem near etjuivalent to the nd vantages obtained againfl: them ; tho' they have foreheads, in fuch refpe^ls, inferior to thofc cf no nation under heaven. But, if you plcafe, we will' now take a brief view of our fuccelles by fea the lalt year ; and of what the enemy have lliffcr'd in their naval power and commerce. And, if I miftake not, it is computed that in the Mediterranean, on ihe coalt of Africa, in ths bay of Bifcay, in the Englifli channel, in the VVefl- Indies, and at the (iege and lurrender ofLouif- bourg, the loyal navy of France has fuftained the lols of about thirty Ihips, greater and lefs, the year part : Some of ihcm capital ones, and much the greater part of which, not having been defh-oyed, have been added to the royal navy of Great-Britain. A heavy lofs, indeed, to them, which affc<5ls them ifi the tendered: point ; and of great confequcnce to vis. And under this head of what the royal navy of France has fufTcrcd, 1 may juft mention the capture and de[fru6tion of all her armed vcntl$ on lake Ontario, in the very fuccefsful expedltioa ?gainff Fronrinac, fpoken of above. The enemy's lofs of thefe veflels of war, and with them, of iheir ufurped dominion of that lakc,is not trivial to them, confidcring the prefent firuation of their affairs in America ; and elpecially the importance, or rather necefTity, of their having a free and fafe communi- cation between Canada and Niagara, the Ohio, Zlz. But what has been already mentioned is by |io means :hc whole, if indeed it may bcjuitly ac- C counieJ 1 8 "Jhe late Smiles of counted the greater part, of our maritime fuccefs, and of the enem s loiIcs,the laft year. Their pri- vate fliips of war, taken and dcftroycd in this time, are vaflly more numerous, than thoie of the king j fo numerous, that I cannot pretend to makeany pro- bable conjectarc about them. And flill vaflly.more numerous than both thcfe together, have been the captures made of the ene- my's tranfport, {tore and common mcrchanr-iliips ; efpecially if we include thofc taken and dellroyed in the defcents made on the coaft of France ; in G;ic of which only, con(iderably more than a hun- dred fail fell into our hands ; at leait, were wholly loll to the enemy. I N thefe, almoft innumerable captures, the ene- my have loft immenfe trcafure and riches, which have been brought into Great-Britain and her colo- nies. The eifefts of which in France are vifible enough, in the multiplied bankruptcies 6f her mer- chants ; in the fcarcicy of money, even in the royal funds and coifers ; in the height of intcreft and in- furance ; in the flagnation of trade and buflnefs,and in the confequent difcontent, and murmur:^, and dif- cords of the people. The effects hereof are alfa apparent enough in Great-Britain, and moft of her colonies and plantations, in the wealth of her mer- chants ; in the plenty of monw found for public ufes ; in the lownefs of incereft ami infurance ; in the flourifliing Hate of trade and bufinefs ; and the confequent general eafincfs, contentment, unanimity and fpirit,of the people of all ranks. It mufl: in fliort be acknowledged by all, who are not fccptical to a great degree, that the commerce of France, on which depend her chief llrength and rcfourccs, is reduced Providence 7'epefented. 19 reduced to a low ebb, and daily decrcaHng. For noc being able jo fecure and defend her trade, it is either b.'ocked up in port, or falls into the hands oK the royal navy, and private cruifers, of Grcai-Britaln and her dependencies. On the other hand, by reu- fon Of the great fupcriority of our naval power, and our late maritime fuccelles, our trade in general is in a very flouri filing condition ; and both the private nicrchant,and the public, enjoy almofl: all the advan- tages of a free, extenfive and gainful commerce. , T T is not, however, pretended that Grcat-Bri- ta'n and her colonies have fulhined no loiles by fea the year pafl, efj->ecially of merchant-men. JMany of them have follen into the enemy's hands ", and even two or three of theKing's fmaller fhips, I think, have had the fame delliny ; which, without a mira- cle, could hardly hive been otherwife. But (which is the only thing infilled on, and which will not, I prefume, bi denied) our maritime lodes fiill bear no pro; ortion, or but a very fmall one, to thofe of the enemy. And it is probable that the naval pow- er of Great-Britain, and the number of her mer- chant-fliips, are n :w, both abfolutely and relatively greater, than at the beginning of the year : Abfo- lutely, as their ftrength and number are increafed on the whole, inftead of being leflened, notwith- lianding her lofTcs : And relatively, as there is now a much greater difproportion between her fliipping and navy, and that of France, than there was at that time. The latter is indifputably true : And the former is equally certain, at lead fb far as it con- cerns the royal navy. Fr o ht this curfbry and imperfc(n: review of the ^Rilitary events of the lall year, (for it is with events C 2 that- 20 The late Smiles of that I chiefly concern myfelf) it appears that God, whofe dominion extends equally over the mighty waters, and the dry land, has prpfpered the Britifli arms on either element ; and to fuch a degree, all circumllances being confidered, that our proipefts with regard to the prcfeat war are now much more favourable and promifing, than they have ever before been fince the commencement of it. However, we cannot fo well form a judgment refpe<5ling this point, conddering the prefent clofe connexion between the courts of London and Ber- lin, without taking into confideration the fucccfleS;, with which his "^ PrulTian majefty has been favoured the lad year ; which, you arc fenfible are partly the occalion of our prefent rejoicing ; fo that in fpeak- ing of them, I do not deviate from the proper bufi^ nefs of the day \ and t,herefore need make no apology. Indeed if we on]y compared his PrufTianMajcny'g dominions, and the number pf his troops, with ihofc of his confederated enemies, who feen> to have joint-? ly vowed his deflruftion, it might appear as if he had been fu^iciently happy and fuccefsfnl, iK)t to fay triumphant, meetly by defending himfelf againft them, and not falling, long ago, a facrifice to their refentmcnt. But not fo, if we confider either the character of this Prince, or the righteous caufe, partly th^ caufe of religious liberty, vvhcrein he has drawn bis • However various the opinions of people may be refpefting the acivantno;e or difadvantage of" continental connexions, to Great-Britain ; vet there is certainly one thing wherein they mull ail be united : That v/hile fuch connexions tjh- tually fubfill, Great-Britain is nearly concerned and iiiter* felted in all the fuccciles of her allies. Fr'wldence reprefenied* 2 1 his fworj. Thcfe things, under the providence antl government of God, might fcem to promife other ruccefles and trlumphs,than merely thofc of not being fwallowed up&:de(troycd,cven by fuch numerous and potent enemies. And had we formed very fanguine hopes of this fort, we (ee by the event, that hea- ven would not have fruitratcd them. For God has, in divers inftances profpered the arms of his Pruflian Majefly the lafl: year pad. To pafs over his other lels confidcrabie, tho' not inconfiderable fucccdcs, you are fenfible he has obtain'd a very fignal viiflory over the Ruffian army, much fupcrior in number to his own, and commanded by a general, inferior, perhaps, to but few of the prefent age. This conqucfl:, according to our lateft accounts, was fo dccKIvc and complcat, and attended with fuch a prodigious (laughter of the mercenary and uncivilized, the rapncious, bloody, and almoft barbarous enemy, that it is not fo properly called a vi(5lory over the Ruffian army, as the total ruin and deftru£lion of ir. In confcquence of th's declfivc viiHiory, (if I do not feem to ielTen the event by calling it by that name) his majcfly [the King of Pruffiaj was left at liberty and leifurc to turn his arms againfl his other enemies, particularly the French and AuOrians ; and to reinforce his generals with vi(ftorious troops, or rather with his own royal pre fence, more powerful and efficacious than many thoufands. His enemies ftill remaining in the held, after this memorable fuccefs, were indeed very numerous and powerful : Nor do we know how the year's campaign ended with this j!;reat Commander, if it be yet ended. For we are fpeaking of a Commander, to whom nil feafons fccni to be alike, and wl:h whom the beginning and cv\di of 2 2 Ihe late Smiles of of a year, and of a campaign, are almofi: the fame, thing. And what may no[ be rcafonably cxpe aiul thereby had an opportunity of improving in the art of war> Uixicr the heroe and wonder of his age, the King of PrulTia : For who can help conceiving the higheft expciftations from a great military genius, cultivated in the fchool, and amid fcenes of v^'ar, under a mafler, on whofe flandards viftory has been fo long accuftomed to wait ? However, From the hints above yon will all fee, dnd the mod: •would doubtlcfs fee without them, how very uncer- tain all the events of war are, tho' wg fhould ground our opinion and hopes on prefen't appearances, anti the moll: rational probabilities. And now, leaving future events with Him, who only knows, as He only determines them ; and acknowledging with gra- titude whftt he has already done for us, refpet^in^ the prefcnt war ; let us proceed, according to the method propofed under the firft general head oi* dilcourfc, gdly and laflly, To mention very briefly, thofi merciesand bleiTmgs which relate more particularly ii> this province ; the fruitfulnels of the palt I'caibn ; the general plenty and health, with whicli we have been favoured. For, as it is expreflcd in his Excel lency\' D pruclamauou f His Excellency Mi-jor Ccacral .'\iDhcrf}. 2 6 ^he late Smiles of proclamation, " The lummer pad: has been rcn^.ark- ♦' ably fruitful, and the produ(5lions of the country " have been fo greatly incrcafcci, that not only our *' own wants have been iu[)plied, but we kavc been •• enabled to furnilli his Nbjelly's forces, both by *' fea and land, with ncctllary provifions and refrefli- ♦' ments : And in molt parts wc have been blelTcd '^ with health." We could never with more, probably never with {o much propriety, as we may at prefent, adopt the language of the Plalmilt, (aying in humble end c^rateful acknowledgment of the divine goodnefs — *' Thou haft vifited the earth, and watered it ; thou *' haft greatly enriched it with the river of God " which is full of water. Thou haft watered " the ridges thereof abundantly : thou haft fettled ** the furrows thereof : thou haft made it foft witli *' fliowers ; thou hall bletled the fprii.ging thereof. *' Thou haft crowned the year with thy goodnefs, *'' and thy paths have dropped fatnefs. They have " dropped upon the paftures of the wildcrnefs ; and ** the little hills rejoiced on every fdc. The '* paftures were cloathed with flocks ; the valleys " alfo were covered over with corn ; they ilioutcd •' for joy, they alfo fung""^. Thr country, (I mean in contradiflinftion from the maritime towns,, and particularly from this capital) The country, I fay, has not only becii fupplied, but even enriched, by the plentiful pro- duce of this year. It has enjoyed an abundance with- in itfelf ; which, at the fame time, has overflowed to dillant places. Great quantities of provifions have been fent to his Majefly's fleet and armies : by which t fi'-d. 65. 9. Providcfice 7'eprefe7ilcd. 27 means, we have not only been enabled to help for- ward the military operations, and common caule, in which we have a very particular interelt ; but con- liderablc wealth has been brought into the country ; 1 might properly lay, inro tlic community. Becaule this is really a common bcneHc ; efpccially in a thne of war, a proponionuble part of the expence of which we oupht doubtlcls to bear, and have always, K"> iay the leall:, done that. For this purpofe, to Jay nothinf^ of any others, monies muft be levied and raifcd from time to time ; nnd what is brought in by the exports of the country's produce, will of courfe circulate ; at leaft -a confidcrable part thereof, however defirous many individuals may be of- hoard- ing. In this rcfpect, a plentiful produce of the earth ought to be account, d a common benefit. Befides ; this of courfe cauleth a plenty, not only of bread, the flaff of life ; but alio of animal food, and many other thingjs to the advantags of all in general, and not only of the husbandman. For tho' the hus- bandman primarily reaps the benefit hereof, and perhaps principally; yet you know that all others, from the hiQ;heft: to the lowelt, are " ferved by the " field". The citizen, the merchant and tradcfman, all find the advantage of a plentiful ieafon, in the proportionably lower price of provifions, and the necelliiries of life. This is at leall- generally, if not univerfally, true. For tho' the maritime towns, and this in particular, have not, perhaps, lb fully and clearly perceived this advantage of the lalt year's plenty, by reafon of the great exports ; yet a little refleftion would fliow them, that under the like peculiar circumltanccs calling for fuch exportation, a year o-f fcarcity mull needs have raifed the ne- ceflaries of life to a price, far beyond what they have i>een at th^ fuiumer pad, or are at prefent. jSo that P 3 il 2 8 *The late Smiles of it is certain, V'hethcr they clearly fee it or not, that they aftually reap the mentioned advantage of a plentiful produce ; tho' probably, not in fo great a degree as the husbandman. Ail of us therefore, without exception, are bound in reafon to acknow^ ledge the goodnefs of God to us in this refpe^t. As to the general health enjoyed thro' the pro* yince ; this is fo evident, and fo manifeftly a great blelfmg, that it were needlefs to enlarge upon it. Health is the foundation of all other natural enjoy- ments in general ; fo ncceilary in order to our tem- poral felicity, that without it we muft be unhappy, even in the bofbm of plenty. Sicknefs difqualifies for action ; not only for bodily labours, but thofc ot' fhe mind alfo, by reafon of this ftrange union and fympathy between flefli and fpirit. It palls every (enfe and appetite ; and if we confider ourfelves only in our worldly and temporal capacity, leaves a mart joylefs and unblefs'd, tho' pofTefled of all the other means of enjoyment. What obligations are we there- fore under in this refpeft, to Him who is the only ** health of our countenance, and our God*' I Thus I have done with the firft thing propofed, having reprcfented to you, under three heads, and as particularly as was convenient, what thofe merciei are, for whidi we are this day called upon to render our united praifes to our great Benefa^or. And if God has conferred thefc ble/hngs upon us, while ^c% nndcferving of them, furely it becomes us, as we do 21 leaft in appearance, to " enter into his gates with *' thankfgivinc;, and into his courts with praife ; to f^' be thankful unto him, and blefs his name." Buc the explaining and inculcating this duty, and fhewing 4iow we ought to conJuCl ourlolves in confcciuencq of ProviJe?2ce ?'eprcfe?tteJ. 29 of thefe great obligations which God has laid us under, will, by his permilfion and alTiftance, be our employment in the afternoon. In the mean time let me only add, that if you are duly thankful for thefe mercies, fo as chriftians ought to be ; if your hearts are properly engaged in the prcfent duty, in oppofition to your offering a mere formal facrifice to God, I may addrefs you in the languapjc o{' Solomon, (fpoaking, 1 fuppofe, neither Ironically, nor in the pcrlon of an Epicure, but feri- ouOy in his own, as a wife, pious and good man) " Go " thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine ** with a merry heart ; for God now accepteih thy " works f". f Ecclef. 9, 7. ?J?*-^c^**iK-^*'.it#')l<:*i5^*^r^^^*-^^^-iC. Difcourfe e?;*:[-^:^^*-r.i^>:-^:*Ti:ti^-^rK^l^*tJ?-i^**^ f * 4 A • ,* A A A * « A A Jk A 4 4 A A A J! * A A A ♦ Difcourfe 11. THE Duty of religious Thcinkfulnefs explain'd and inculcated : Wliat Influence the Mercies of God fhould have on our future Lives ; with fomc particular Refledions on thofe reprefented in the foregoing Dilcourfe. PSALM C. 4. Enter into his gates luith tijankjgiving, and into his courts with prai/e : he thar.kful unto him, and hlefs his name. IN the morning I recounted to yoi:, as particu- larly as the time would well admit, thofe mer- cies and blefTings, on account of wliich wc this day enter into the courts of our God with praife. Thefe m.ercies were confidered in the order follow- ing; I'/Z. First, Thofe which relate to the civil ftate of Theh the nation in general. Religious Ihankfulnefs^ Sec, 31 Then, Thofe which rt-Iate parriciilarly to the war ; or the fuccefTcrs granted, the laft year, to his Majelly's arms, and aho to the PruHlan : And lastly, Thofe mercies which relate more particularly to this Province ; as the uncommon truitfulnefs of the pad fcafon, and the general plen- ty and health, with which we have been favoured. It doubtlefs becomes us to make a grateful re- turn to almighty God for thefe great and mani- told exprelTions of his loving-kindnefs: It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and ** praife " is comely for the upright. '* I AM now therefore, in the fecond place, by divine affiftance, and according to the method propofed, ,11. To explain, and inculcate upon you, the du- ty of religious thanktulnefs lor the mercies which have been reprefcnted to you. And this prcfup- pofes and implies in it various things ; more efpe- cially thcfe which follow j That we have a proper fenfe of their greatnefa and importance, confidcred in themfelves i That we acknowledge God, who ruleth in the kingdom of men, and whofe providence governs all things, asthe aifthor of them : That we are fenfiblc, they were undeferved by us, and therefore flow from Mis mere favour, or free grace ; Tkat 32 Religious 7 hanhfulnefs That our hearts nre raif-d up to God, on ac- count of them, in the exerciJeol devout affection^ or internal bleiring and praife : And laftly, That we exprcfs thcfe grateful reniiments of our hearts, by the external ads of blefTing tlie name of the Lord, and finging his praifcs. ift. Religious thankfulnefs for thefe mercies^ fuppofes that we have fome proper lenfe of their greatnefs and importance, confidcred in themfdves. As no perfon can, in the nature of the thing, be thankful, or even joyful, on account ot what he does not efteem as a real good, or benefit \ fo nei- ther can any one be thankful or joyful to the degree which he ought to be, unlefs his fenfe and elleem of the fuppofed benefit arifcs in proportion to the greatnefs, or is adequate to tlie true nature thereof. As far as he undervalues any blefTing ; as much as his efteem thereof falls I"hort of being commenfu- rate to its proper worth ; fofar he muft neceffarily fall fhort of that gradcudc which he owes to his benefador. For that good which is not perceived by us is, to us, as nothing, however great it may be fuppofed in itfelf. And of confequence, the author of it will be defrauded, in part at leaft, of thofe grateful returns from us, which are due to him. This will hold equally true, whether we fpeak of an human, or of our Divine benefador. You ought therefore, my brethren, ferioufly ro revolve in your minds the feveral benefits and blci^ fings which have been enumerated to you ; to confider how manifold, how great, they are \ and to gain a proper idea of their value. Without * \\\m explain d &P i?iculcaied, 3 3 thus meditating upon them, till you perceive their true worth and importance, you will at bcft onl/ offer the i'acrifice of a crude, unruminated praife ; at leaft as unworthy as " the lame or the blind. " And in order to your having a jult fenfe (if the greatnefs and value of thcle mercies, one of the moft certain and efireftual ways will be, to reflecfl how unhappy we fliould have been without them ; or if inftead of enjoying them, the contrary evils had befallen us. Confider, for example, how mi- ferable we fhould have been, if inflead of having the hfe of a good proteftant King prefcrved to us •, if inftead of having the Britidi laws and govern- ment, and our civil and religious liberties, conti- nued as they are ; that good King had been taken away, and a bad one fucceeded him ; ( efpecially the worff, a thorough Roman-catholic, whofe evil Confcience,whatevcr he might fwear to the contrary^ would flill oblige him to diftrels, if not to deflroy, his proteftant fubjecls — for the good of their fouls !) if the free and happy government of Great-Britain had been overturned, and arbitrary fway, and papal tyranny, had been eftablifhed in its room. Had this been the cafe, you muft needs be fenfible how wretched we fliould have been. And this reflecftion will help you to form a juil idea of the greatnefs of the beforementioned blef- fings, which are ftill continued to us ; and of the future enjoyment of which, wc have fo favour- able a profpecl in his Majefty's royal Houfe. Again : If we had obtained none of thofe mili- tary fuccclfes by fea or land, which have been enu- merited j but thefe advantages h.d all been on the fuid of our enemies; if the enemy had made feve- ral fui.cefsful defcents on Britain, and taken divers E oi 34 Religious Thankfulnefs of our fortreffes ; if our magazines had been dc- ftroycd with prodigious ftores \ had we loft: one of our valuable leitlemcnts, and fome place of as much importance to us, as Lojifbourt; vis to France ; had his PrufTian majeft-y bcvn iWiTlowed up, inllead of biding viiftoiious ; had our iiurine fuffered as much as the enemy's has done ; had the royal navy cf Britain fultained fo great a 1 -Is •, had her private {hi[)S of war been taken and deftroycd in fuch numbers •, had her merclian'-fhi^'S been de- ftroyed by the fcore, or the hundred, in her ports, and fuch vafl numbers befides, taken in diffv rent parts of the world ; had fuch immenfe treafure been ta- ken from her, as flie has taken from the enemy ; were near twenty thoufand of her feamen prifoners, without any profpeft of a fpeedy redemption ; in fiiU", jiid her commerce been almoft ruined, and that of France in the fame fiouriiliing con- dition with curs ; if thefe events had taken place, I fay, lurely you cannot be infenfible of the melan- chofly, diftrtffed fituation we fliould now have been in ; and confcquently, cannot but fee what a great mercy it is to us, that things have been o- thei wife ordered •, and that the Britilli arms have been prufpered to the degree they have. Again : If inftead of fo fruitful a feafon as the paff, this had been a year of drought ; if inflead of the great plenty of mod of the necelTaries of life am'^ng us, there had been fcarcity and famine •, if inflead of the general health enjoyed, peftilence, or other mortal difeafcs had prevailed ; if thefe events had taken place, I need not fay, but only leave you to judge, how unhappy our condition had been. Which refleflion, will at the fane time fhew you, how great the beforementioned blefllngs are ; which is explain d^ inculcated, 35 is the firft thing necefiary in order to your being duly thankful for them. Now it is plain, that we might have been left dellitute of all the mercies which we have enjoyed-, and not only fo, but have experienced all the evils and calamities which are the reverfe of them. And the ultimate, if not the only realon, which can be afllgncd why thtle evils, indead of thofe: blefTings, have not come up mi us and the natii)n, is, be- caulL- God vvas plcafcd to order events to be as they are. Which brings me to the fccoiid particular me.itiuned above ; namely, 2dly. That in order to our being religioufly thankful fur thcfe great bklTmgs, we muft be renfi" ble that they are beftowed on us by God, who ru- Icth in the kingdom of men, and whofe providence fupei intends all ihngs. That gratitude which is properly called rtligious, has God alone for its ob- j ft, a'xi terminates on him in diftinftion from all means and inftruments, as the fupreme Author of the good, for which we are thankful. It implies a contradidion to fuppofe, that we can be duly thankful for any bleflings we enjoy, unlefs we firm- ly believe the over-ruling providence of God, by which events are broiight to pafs •, and unlefs, in our thoughts, we retcr them ultimately to him. Nor, indeed, is there any reafon why we fhould be thankful to him, even for the greatell bleflings we enjoy, on any other fuppofition than this, that his kingdom rulcth over all ; that lie is truly and pro- perly the author of thefe bleffings. If he were not, you would be under no more obligation to be thank- ful for them to Jehovah, than to the i^Lgvptian bull, or the golden calves {ti up in Dan and Bethel. All religious gratitude fuppofcs in the Very notion E 2; oi J 6 Religious Thankfulmfs of it, t^at the good for which we are thankful, is the eflF.:(ft ol" God's good nefs and power, and tliat \t accrues to us by the cifpofitions of his_'providcnce. From hpnce it is apparent, that tho' you have ever fo juft and thorough a fenfe of the value of thofc mercies w!-i";ch have been rcprefented to you ; yet unlefs you are fully perfuaded that God gover^^s the world, and all things that are therein, and that he has beflowed thefe mercies on us, vou can, in no proper rcni;-,be thankful to him for them. You may indeed, without this, be glad, and heaitily re- joiced on account of them, or tha. ktul to thofe perfuns who have been inftrumentai ot good to the public, wherein you have a Hiarc : But n(^ithcr of rhefe things is religious gratitude; ricither thankiul- nefs to mm, nor joy on account of any profijcrous events ; tho' the former of them may, and the lat- ter of them necefiarily muft, attend it. But not to digrefs : Le: me inculcate it upon you as a mod certain truth, demonllrable, if any thing is ^o^ by human reafon, as well as the plain d )(rtriie of divine revelation, and a truth which f]i(Mild ever be in our thoughts ; that this world is undt^r the government, not of blind chance, or fate, or men, or good, or evil fpirits ; but of that eternal, infinite, and omniprefent Spirit, to whom it owes its exiffence. It is God*s world ; he upholds, he mlc^s, he controuls ir, and in fome way or other, perhaps inconceivable by us, adually orders and deteraiines the events of it ; and that with fuch precifion, that neither a " fparrow falls to the ground, nor a ** lot is caft into the lap, " without him. All fubordinate beings or agents, who are concerned in bringing about any events, any changes or r(-volutions in this lower world, whether prof- pertjus or adverfe to u?, are his agents, his inftru- irientSg explain d ^ inculcated. 3 y merits, all " fulfilling his pleafure. " He is there- fore to be acknowledged as chc fiipreme, ultimate caufe of all thefe events. By him, his power and wifdom, kings reign, and princes decree juftice : He pulleth down one kingdom, and fetteth up another. The horfe is prepared for the battle, but fafety is of the Lord. He giveth rain from heaven, and fruicful feafons, filling our hearts with food and ghdnefs. — " Thine, O Lord, is the greatnefs, " and the power, and the glory, and the vidtory, " and the majefty : for all that is in the heaven " and in the earth is thine -, thine is the kingdom, " O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. " Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou *' reigneft over all, and in thine hand is power and " might, and in thine hand it is to make great, *' and to give ftrengt!i unto all. *' Unlefs we fin- cercly afTent to the truth and propriety of thele words of infpiration, we cannot, whatever blelTings we enjoy, properly adopt thofe which immediately follow, — " Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praifc thy glorious name *. '* It is mere trifling and impertinence, not piety in us, to ap- pear in this place upon this occafion, unlefs we firmly believe the governing providence of God, according to the reprefentations of fcripture : be- caufe it is impofllble we fhould be religioufly thank- ful for the mercies we enjoy, however great they are in themfclves, without thus referring tiiem all to Him, " of whom, and thro' whom, and to whom are all things. " But gdly. It is requifite in order to our being duly thankful for thcfe mercies, that v/e are fenfible we were undeferving of them, and confequently that they flow from the free grace, and mere bounty of God towards us. And indeed, if you confider the * I Chron. 29. II, 12, 13. 38 Religious Ihankfulmfs the matter with any attention, you will perceive that gratitude, whether to God, or any other be- ing, in the very nature of it, fuppofes him to have done a favour to us, fome afl of kindnefs or grace, as diftinguifhed fromjuftice. For we cannot, pro- perly fpeaking, thank any one for doing an a6t of mere juftice, however advantageous it may be to us -, or be thankful to him any farther than he has dealt by us in a way of bounty, and done what, in point of mere equity, he was under no obliga- tion to do. Thus far, and only thus far, we may, in propriety of language, be thankful. So that it is not fufficient for us to acknowledgeGod as the real, fupreme author of the before mentioned blelTings, in order to our being grateful to him -, it is more- over neceflary that we are fenfible, they f^ow from his bounty j that we had no claim to them, founded in righteoufnefs and equity, but that they might liave been with held from us without injury or injuftice. And that this is true in fadV, cannot be denied on the principles of religion, or even on thcfe of reafon and common fenfe : " For who " hath firft given unto him ? and it fhall be re- *' compenfed to him again. '* Not even the inno- cent and holy angels of heaven have done fo ; and therefore, are under obligation to thank God for their being, and all the happy circumftances that have attended it from firft to laft. But we are in a further and higher fenfe obliged to acknowledge that all the blefTmgs we enjoy, fiow from God's free Grace, or undeferved good- nefs. For we have not only, not merited them by nny thing we have done •, but were obnoxious to liis juft difpleafure, and the effefts thereof, by fin- ning againft him. So that he might in perfcft con- fiftence with equity, not only have withheld all thefe explain d &^ inculcated, 3 9 thefe bleflings from us, but vifited our iniquities with all the of. pofice evils •, yea, with far more terrible ones, not only in this world, but in ano* ther. Surely, neither we, nor the nation in gene- ral, are fo righteous before God, that he was bound in jultice to confer thefe bleflings on us : Would to him ! we were not fo unrighteous, that he niigiit, without any imputation on the equity of his providence, have brought on us the moft grie- vous calamities, as he might unqueftionably have done. Since, therefore, God has not dealt with us according to our fins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities ^ but beftowcd on us fo many in- valuable mercies, we are obliged in ail fenfe and rcafon to own, that they are the eftet^ts of his mere grace and favour. Nor is it poflible we fliould be duly thankful to him for thefe bleflings, as fin- ful creatures ought to be, without taki ig into con- fideration our unworthincfs of them. And in pro- portion to the fenfe we have of our unworthincfs, and the grace of God in conferring any mercies on us, will ordinarily at lead] be the degree of our gra- titude to him. Let me therefore, as a necefTary means of raifing your gratitude to a due height, and pro- per fervour, exhort you to reflect lerioufly on your own fins in particular, on the fins of this land, and of the nation in general ; on the im- piety and infidelity, the prophanenefs and fcn- fuality, the pride and luxury, the fclfifhnefs and venality, the injuftice and opprefllon, which have been in t^e midtt of us. Without this, tho' you may pofllbly have a deep fenfe of the worth and importance of thefe bleflings, and may firmly be- lieve that God is the autlwrofthcm, yet you can- not 40 Religious, 7 ha^ikfulnefs not be fo thoroughly thankful for them as you ought to be ; not having a juO. idea of our unwor- ihinefs of them, and of the goodnefs and grace of God in bcftowing them. But fuch reflexions will have the mod dired, and, by God's blefTing, an cffeiftual tendency, to awaken in you the warmeft fentiments of gratitude to him; I fay, the warmefl fentiments ot gratitude to him : for you are to re- member, that religious thankfulneis does not confift merely in fpecuhtion •, in having right notions and conceptions of the bklTings we enjoy, of their great- nefs and value, of our unworthinefs of them,and the mercy of God in bellowing them ; but in correfpon- ding operations of the heart and mind towards our almighty, and moft gracious Benefa6lor. Th'S intro- duces the fourth particular mentioned above, viz. 4thly. That religious thankfulnefs implies in it the exercife of devout afreclion towards God, or the internal acfls of bleffing and praifing him for his goodnefs. Hereby it is intended to afctrtain the true and proper nature of religious gratitude, by diftin- guifliing it from two things, v/hich may pofTibly be miflaken for it. Firft, from the mere fenfation of joy, or gladnefs of heart, on account of the blefTings which we enjoy. Tliis is common to good and bad men j atheifts themfelves may poffibly rejoice even more than the mofl: pious men, in having the means of worldly and temporal happincfs ; becaufc their only portion being in this world, they of confe- quence fet an higher. value on thefe worldly goods than they, ,whofe chief treafure, and whofe hearts are in heaven. Religious gratitude is quite a dif-. fcrent thing from this joy and rejoicing, which ter- minate in the good things poffeffed, or enjoyed by. us. God, as was obferved above, is the object . . thereof j explain d &^ i?tc ideated, 41 tlx-rcof ; and it confifts in devout afTe£lion towards !iiin ; in the emotions of" the heart, in blefTing and prailinq him, as the author of thefc benefits. And both ihefe things together, I mean the perception of good, in conjunction with the internal a nor, therefore, my Brethren, that you are this day properly thankful to God for his ma- nifold mercies, merely bccaufe you highly efleem, and are rejoiced on account of them ; nor yet, merely becaulc you are rationally convinced of your unwor- ihinefs of them,and that they flow from the free grace, or unmerited goodnefs of God. All this you may be fcnfible of, and yet have an ungrateful heart ; one that is a Ibangcr to all devout affection, to all the internal a6ts of praidng and blefling God, from whiom Cometh down every good and per feci gifr. Nor is this only poiTible ; it may bcjuftly feared that many who have jull: fpcculativc notions concern- ing the divine goodnefs, agreeably to v.-hat has been laid above, arc nevcrthelefs actual ly*^rftitutc ot tliankful hearts ; as diftitutc perhaps, almofl, as mere (ceptics or atheifls. God forbid, there (liould be in any of us, an heart {o evil ; for it is mentioned as one of the blackcH: (ins even of the hea.hen, whom God liad not laid under fo many obligations a> he has us, that '' when they knew God, they glo- " rilied him not as God, neither luere thankfuL^^"* But if you arc poflelled of truly grateful hearts for the blcffings conferred on you, be afilired that this is, in God's account, " more than all whole burnt offer- " ing? and facrihces", or " the cattle upon a thou- " fand hills". But 5thly. Tiio' the heart is what is to be primarily and chiclly regarded, our gratitude oiighr, fonic- limcs at leaft, to be exprellcd in the outward cxe> F - cifcs t Rom. I. 21^ 44 What Effect the Me'rcies of God cifcs of piety ; in extolling the name of God, and. flnging his praifes ; and this, in a piiblic, fecial manner^agreeably to the text : " Enter into his gates *' with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praifc ; " be thankful unto him, and blefs his name." How- ever, it may be taken for granted, that thofe of you who are here prefent on this joyful occafion, do not need any arguments to convince you of rhe propriety hereof, tho' it is probable that many others need them. I fhall not, therefore, enlarge upon this point ; for it is to you, and not to them, that I am ipeaking. But there is one thing more, which it \v\\\ not be amifs juft to remind you of, before we proceed to the lalt general head of difcourfe. As all the blefhngs which God beftows on the finful children of men, whether temporal or fpiritual, are beftowed on the |pHHv» plan of evangelical grace, thro' the great '' mediator between God and men, the man *' Chrifl Jefus"; and as all our prayers are to be offered up to God in his name, in order to their acceptance ; fo alfo ought all our thanks and praifes forbleffmgs received, to be rendered thro' him, to the *' One God and Father of all"j in conformity to the apofiolic dire^ion & admonition ; — " Singing and mak- ** ing melody in your heart to theLord, giving thanks " always for all things unto God and" [or even] f the Father, //; the name of our Lord Jefus Chnjl\?'' III. Let me now, as was propofed in the laft •plnre, exhort you to live anfwerably to the obli- gaiions which God has laid us under, by bellowing jhefe blefTmgs upon us. For furely you cannot fup- pofc, we iball have balanced our accounts with him,oi- made I Eph. V. 19, ::o. i Jhould have upon our Lives. 45 made him all tljc returns vvhidi his manifold goodncfs and mercies claim from us, only by the religious ob- fervanon, and the thankfgivings of this day ; even tho' we fliould not be deficient in any of the duties of it, whether internal or external, private or public. If wc arc properly thankful, and give to God this day " the glory due unto his name", thus far it is" well ; much better, I fear, than .fome, and per- haps than moH: of us, can pretend to have done. But however this may be, itill you are to remember, that all the blefiings which we receive from God, not only demand our thanks and praifes for the pre- fcnt ; but arc an additional obligation laid upon us to do, what wc were all obliged to do before j I mean, to devote our whole lives to his lervice and glory. Since therefore he has thus " crowned us " with his loving-kindnefs and tender mercies", we fliall be doubly criminal if we do not keep his com- mandments ; our fins will be aggravated to a great degree. We fhould have been really without excufc in living wickedly, tho* God had bcdowed none of thefe mercies upon us : For no fin whatever does, in the nature of it, admit of any excufc, properly fpcaking, tho* it may be attended fometimes with certain alleviating circumftances. But our guilt is greatly enhanced, when our fins are committed under the dillinguifliing finilcs of heaven ; undet many and great exprefiions of God's goodncfs to us, and ma- nifeftations of his concern both for our temporal and fpiritual welfare; fuch as we have been confidering. All thefe arc dcfigncd, either to lead finners to repentance, or to excite good men to greater fidelity and diligence in the fcrvice of God. If therefore there are any prefent, who have hitherto lived in the yiohtion of his holy commandments, let me adraonifh them 46 What Effect the Mercies of God^ 6cc. them by thefe mercies of God, now to forfake their fins ; to ceafe to do evil, and learn to do well. For " thinkeft thou this, O man, that thou Jlialt '* efcape the judgment of God ? Or defpilell thou '' the riches of his goodncfs, and forbearance, and " long-fuffering, not knowing that the goodnefs of ** God leadeth thee to repentancef?" Happy will it be for thee now, happy forever, if inflead of def- pifing the goodnefs of God, and countera<5l!ng its tendency, thou art awakened thereby to a fenfe, of thy duty., and brought to a thorough compliance with it. But miferable wilt thou be, both now and here- after, if (till, *' after thy hardnefs and impenitent *' heart, thou treafurefl: up unto tliyfelf wrath againlt " the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous ** judgment of God ; who will render to every man *' according to his deeds'^." Yea, on this fad llippo- fition, which I do not make without rclu£tancc, thcfe very mercies and bleffings will, in fome fenfe, rife up againft thee another day, and aggravate thy condem- nation ; and fo, in the iffiie, be turned into the hea- viefl curfes ! Flee, therefore, from the wrath to come, and lay hold on the hope ftill fet before thee, that fb iniquity may not be thy ruin ! By thefe fame mercies of God, let good men, his faithful fervants, be admonifhed to perfevere in well doing, and to be Itill " followers of God as " dear children": and nor only to perfevere, but to perfeft " holinefs in the fear of God". For doing thus, an entrance fhall be minifired to you abundant- ly into that eternal kingdom and glory, to which he has called you by Jefus Chrift. God has far greater bleflings laid up in ftore for them that love him, than thofe for which we are this day prating him j fuch as cyorts with God and religion under the fmie pretence. 1 lay, at leaft, becaufe the laws forbid fuch impiety to God, as-truly as t^ey do, burning your neighbour's houfe, or murder. So that the great freedom even of the Britifh government, were that the only thing to be confidercd, is no good excufe for irreligion G and * The term legal is preferred here to lawful, becaufe it is lefs equivocal, and fo lefs liable to be perverted to a wrong fcnfe, to countenance the arbitrary condud of thofe that are in pow- er. Lawful is often oppcfcd to finful, or what God lias forbidden : In wiiich fcnfe it is not true, that we are bound in confciencc to obey ail the lawful commands of the civil magiOrate. If the command is not alfo legal, or fuch as the Jaws of the land authorife him to give, it may be innocently difrcgarded. Britifh fiibje«5ts arc to obey the laws, not the capricious will of any niagif^ratc, whether fuprcmc, or fubor- dioatc. 50 Particular Reflections and Impiety. But I have no great opinion of en- forcing religion by human laws, any further than to keep men iVom hurting and deltroying one anothcr> (if that may be called religion) it being evident that fuch laws have,upon the whole, but very littlc,if any good effedl. We will therefore fuppole for the pre- lent, that there were no fuch laws in being. Does it from hence follow, that you arc " without law to " God"? or that you arc not " under the law to *' Chrift", who came into this world to " redeem us *' from all iniquity, and to purify unto himfelf a '' peculiar people, zealous of good works"? You will not fay, it does. Take heed then, that you do not abufc your religious liberty ; throw not all con- Icience afide, becaufe you have liberty of confciencc. For tho' you live under a free governmei.t ; yea, which is much more, tho' *' Chrift has made us free" from every yoke of bondage, you ought to live in the faith and fear of God, and in obedience to his commands, under a fenfc of your being ac- countable to him ; remembring the apoftle's admo- nition, — *' as free, and not ufing your liberty for " a cloke of malicioufncfs, bu^ as the fervant of *' God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood> " Fear God. Honor the kingj." In jQiort, the true and only ufe we ought to make of our religious liberty, is this : To exer'cifc it in a free, impartial and ferious inquiry into religion, that \vc may learn " what is the good, and acceptable, and perfefl will *^ of God"; and having fouixl t- vihat that is, to pra£life f Pet. II, 1 6, 17. t It is here taken for granted, that every fuch free and unpreju- diced inquirer, will, fooner or later, be a believer in Jefus Chrift, and that religion which bears his name ; agreeably to his own words — " My dodtrine is not mine, but his that •' fent me. if any man will do" [dcfiicsto do] "his will, *' he fliall know of the do6trine. whether it be of God, or *« whether i fpciik of niyfelf." Job. YII. 16, 17. on the late Smiles of Providence. 5 i pra^tife agreeably to it ; to worfliip Goil, and fervc l;iin in holinefs and ri-'htcoufiicfs according to his word, wichuut regarding what are the vulgar, prcvail- ii)g opinions and practices ; which, by the way, have generally been tvrong, at Icaft in (bme points. But 2. Let us proceed to thofe mercies which were referred to a fecond clals, in the feregoing difcourfe ; viz. the fucceircs given the lart year to the arms of their Britannic and Prullian Majeflies : On which wc may make a few brief refle the flower fadeth, — " furely the people is grafs'*. It may be juflly apprehended that many people have been taken out of the world as fuddenly, tho' far lefs prepared, thati the perfon alluded to above ; who was generally efteemed an upright man, and a fincere friend to religion. However, it is God*s prerogative to judge men. My view in reminding you of this inftance of fudden death, is to fhow you how very precarious both \ Charles Apthorp Ef thrice blefled are all the dead, who die in the Lord, whenever they die, and whatever circumfiances may attend their death : " Yea", faith the fpirit, for they reft " from their labors, and their works do follow " them." They fhall furely have a part in the re- furre£lion of the juft, thro' Him that hath " aboiifhed *' death, and brought life and immortality to light " thro' the gofpel"; while others, however great or, honourable in this world, fliall arifc to fhame and *' everlafting contempt." And He that both died and rofe again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living, hath faid, " Behold, 1 come quickly, *' and my reward is with mc, to give to every man *' according as his work fliall be". " Blefled are " they that do his commandments, that they may *' have right to the tree of life, and may enter ia " thro' the gate into the city. For without are dogs, *' and forcerers, and whoremongers, and idolaters, *t and whofoever loveth and maketh a lie." AMEN. >^'^ # J**^'^ i->i\"'i'V «,-